Loteshwar temple is situated in a village called Dugve near Kurtade village about 25 kilometers from Ratnagiri.
After reaching at Dugve village, you need to park your car near the arch and from there you need to walk for 5-10 minutes to reach the temple.
It's a small temple in Konkan which is famous for it's unique design, a temple standing on just one huge towering rock about 30 feet high and 25 feet in circumference. The rock itself is located in a stream of water without any support. During the rainy season, the stream flows in two directions still does not have the slightest effect on the rock.
History of the temple is as stated by villagers - In ancient times, there was a dense forest. In the village there was a brahmins house, he has cows and bulls. The cowherd took care of them, cowherd used to take the cattle to graze every day. One of the cow escaping the cowherd's attention, would always come to this place. A large network of vines had formed there, cow would climb up to the high rock and release its milk and then mix with the cattle. The cowherd did not know this. Since the cow at home did not give milk, the owner suspected the cowherd of stealing milk, One day, the cowherd kept an eye on the cow, then he noticed that the cow was going through the network of vines and releasing its milk on the big rock. He approached his master and narrated what he had seen. Hearing this, the owner got angry. He came with a scythe in his hand and went through the vines and cut the part stuck in the vines and caused a big injury, The ropes of the vines broke and the shivlinga was visible at that place, Due to the injury, the Shivlinga was slightly pierced. The injury can still be seen today on the Shivlinga. This incident gradually became known in the village, all villagers gathered at the place. They prostrated themselves before the god, the day when Shivlinga was seen was Monday in the month of Paush. All the villagers together cleared the forest and build a grass temple on the rock and a ladder was made up to the rock with the help of kalka (a type of bamboo). Later the temple was damaged in a storm in 60s. After that, the villagers built a Kaularu template and as the fame grew the temple also changed to dome-shaped. Since Sri Swayambhu Loteshwar appeared in the month of Paush and was first seen by cowherd, as offering is made to the God as a meal for the cowherds. Also, Shivratri is celebrated with great enthusiasm.
The idol is said to be naturally existing on the rock. The exact year in which this temple was built at this place is not known. The temple is located at the bottom of a valley. There are hills on three sides of the temple.
The temple is surrounded by dense jungle and a flowing stream, the water stream flows for twelve months.
